


Safe

by LibraryMage



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Father-Son Relationship, Found Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 12:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18031568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibraryMage/pseuds/LibraryMage
Summary: Ezra was captured by the Empire, and by the time he was rescued, the damage was already done.





	Safe

As he heard the door open, Ezra curled up on his side -- _when had they removed his restraints?_ \-- and let out a soft, high-pitched groan.  Footsteps grew closer, each step on the metal floor feeling like it was pounding inside Ezra’s skull.

“No,” he muttered, barely able to summon the strength to get his voice to work.  “I won't…”

Someone was lifting him up off the floor -- _how did he get there? he'd been strapped down_ \-- and placed him on something higher off the ground.

The table.

_No._

“No,” Ezra said, trying to wrench himself away from his tormenter.  “No, _please_!”

A low voice was saying something, but Ezra couldn’t make out the words through his haze of fear.  A hand was on his shoulder, pinning him down.  It would only be seconds before the restraints locked around him again.

“Get off!” Ezra screamed.  He lunged forward, his teeth viciously snapping at the hand that pinned him down.  He heard a yelp of pain and pulled away, trying to dodge the blow he knew was coming.  Something hard struck his left arm and he screamed as a sharp burst of pain radiated through it.

Something touched his right arm and he screamed again, thrashing on the table, his legs kicking wildly.

“Please!” he cried.  “Don’t!  I can't -- I can't --”

His pleas were cut off as his voice dissolved into heavy sobbing.  He couldn’t do this.  Not again.  He didn’t know how much more he could take.  Day after day, it was the same.  Beatings and whippings and electrocution and needles shoved into his arms and it never stopped.  He just wanted it to _stop_.

He squeezed his eyes shut and turned onto his side again, curling up into a tight ball, too tired to be surprised that they’d allowed him to do that.

“Please,” he said again, his voice harsh and rasping and he forced the word out with one ragged, exhausted breath.

Ezra felt a hand in his hair and whimpered, curling in tightly on himself.

“No,” he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.  “No, no, _no._ ”

That low voice was talking again as fingers threaded gently through his hair.  Too gently.  This touch wasn’t harsh, wasn’t meant to hurt him.  That voice sounded almost…

“K--Kanan?” Ezra mumbled.

“Yeah,” Kanan said, a tight, pained sound to his voice.  “I’m here.”

“No,” Ezra muttered.  “Run.  J--just go.”

“Ezra, you’re safe,” Kanan said softly.

“No.”

“You’re on the _Ghost_ ,” Kanan said.  “You’re home.  We got you back.”

Ezra opened his eyes and blinked slowly, taking in his surroundings.  He was in Kanan’s cabin, on Kanan’s bunk, and sure enough, the man himself was sitting beside him.  For reasons he couldn’t even begin to understand, Ezra whimpered again and pulled his knees tighter against his chest, his tears trailing slowly across his skin.

“It’s okay,” Kanan said.

As Ezra began to drag himself closer to Kanan, that sharp pain burst through his arm again and he cried out.

“Easy,” Kanan said, his voice gentle.  “Your arm is broken.”

Ezra moved slower and more cautiously this time as he pulled himself toward Kanan until his head was resting on the man’s leg.  Kanan’s hand rested on Ezra’s head for a moment before he began gently stroking Ezra’s hair again.  At the soft, comforting touch, Ezra began sobbing again, his whole body shaking as he cried.  Kanan said nothing, just letting Ezra pour out his pain and sorrow until he’d cried himself out.

Slowly, Ezra sat up and pressed himself against Kanan’s side, his hand swiping at his eyes, brushing the remaining tears away.  Kanan slid his arm around Ezra’s shoulders, pulling Ezra close to him, practically clinging to him like he was afraid Ezra would disappear if he let go.

“H--how long?” Ezra asked, his voice shaking, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“They had you for almost two weeks,” Kanan said.  “We rescued you three days ago.”

Ezra let out a small whimper and shrank closer to Kanan’s side.  Two weeks in the hands of the Empire.  Two weeks of endless torture and fear.  Two weeks of not knowing how much longer they’d let him live.

“Do you remember it?” Kanan asked.

Ezra nodded.  He wished he could say no, but he remembered every second of the torment they’d put him through.

“I’m so sorry, Ezra,” Kanan said, his arm drawing tighter around Ezra’s shoulders for a moment.

Ezra had thought he had no tears left in him, but that stinging sensation pricked at his eyes again as he stared blankly down at the floor.  The tears began to trail down his face once more as he huddled against Kanan’s side.

“It’s okay,” Kanan said.  “You’re home.  You’re safe now.”


End file.
